70% of German autobahns have no speed limit – 70% of Germany's autobahn has no speed limit

Published on: January 30, 2019 / Updated on: January 30, 2019 – Author: Konrad Wolfenstein

Proposals from a government-appointed committee to introduce a speed limit of 130 km/h on the German autobahn network have recently been leaked to the media. This has sparked a debate in the country where, since the 1970s, the phrase "free travel for free citizens" has been used to describe the freedom of drivers to traverse the autobahn at any speed.

Unrestricted speed limits are strongly supported by the country's automotive industry, which is known worldwide for building fast and powerful cars. The leaked proposals are part of a report on the future of German mobility, due to be published in March. Besides limiting speeds on highways, the proposals also include increasing fuel taxes and eliminating tax breaks for diesel vehicles.

As the following infographic shows, approximately 30 percent of the Autobahn already has a speed limit. Of the sections where limits are in place, 4.7 percent are 130 km/h, 7.8 percent are 120 km/h, and 5.6 percent are 100 km/h. The debate about extending these limits is not straightforward, as both ministers and the public are forced to choose between reducing greenhouse gas emissions and protecting the country's automotive industry. A poll conducted by the newspaper Bild am Sonntag over the weekend revealed that 52 percent of the German population supports a maximum speed between 120 and 140 km/h.

Proposals from a government-appointed committee to impose a 130 kph speed limit on Germany's autobahn network were recently leaked to the media. That has resulted in a debate in the country where the term “Unrestricted driving for free citizens” has been used since the 1970s to describe drivers' freedom to traverse the network at any speed.

Unrestricted speed limits are strongly endorsed by the country's automobile industry, known worldwide for building fast and powerful cars. The leaked proposals are part of a report on the future of German mobility which is due out in March. Along with the speed limit on highways, it includes increases in fuel taxes and an end to tax breaks on diesel cars.

As the following infographic shows, approximately 30 percent of the autobahn already has a speed limit. Out of the sections where limits are imposed, 4.7 percent is 130 kph, 7.8 percent is 120 kph and 5.6 percent is 100 kph. The debate about extending those limits isn't an easy one with both ministers and the public forced to choose between cutting greenhouse gas emissions and protecting the country's automobile industry. At the weekend, a survey published by the Bild am Sonntag newspaper found that 52 percent of the German public favors a speed limit of between 120 and 140 kph.

You will find more infographics at Statista